Game #3 Recap - Capitals 5 Canucks 1

Total team defense by the Capitals dominated the Vancouver Canucks last night. The Caps held their opponent to 10 shots on goal, a new team record for the fewest shots against by an opponent. With 5 goals in the first 2 periods the Caps chased Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo from the net at the second intermission. Alexander Semin started the scoring in the first and scored again in the second. Mike Green and Milan Jurcina also scored goals and Michael Nylander finished the scoring with a penalty shot goal.

Caps goaltender Brent Johnson was lonely for most of the game. After giving up a power play goal on Vancouver's first shot of the game, Johnson saw only 2 more shots until the 3rd period. He stopped all 7 third period shots in route to his 100th career NHL victory. The Caps had Vancouver completely disoriented for most of the evening as the Canucks could not move the puck through the neutral zone due to the aggressive forecheck of the Capitals. Watching the performance last night it was evident that this Capitals team works together as a team it has the ability to be a top team in this league.

Of Note:

• Alexander Semin's two goals gives him 77 career goals, all as a member of the Caps. He moves ahead of Syvain Cote and ties him with Geoff Courtnall for 30th on the Capitals All-Time Gaols list. Semin leads the Caps with 6 points through 3 games.
  
• Sergei Fedorov was paired on the blue line with Milan Jurcina. The pair combined for a goal, an assist, 8 shots on goal and a +/- rating of +5.
• Mike Green scored his 3rd goal of the season last night. All three goals have come on the power play.
• The team went 2 for 4 on the power play with the second being Nylander's penalty shot goal. The lone goal against the Caps came on the power play. Washington finished the game killing 3 of 4 Vancouver power play attempts.
• Viktor Kozlov left the game early with an apparent leg injury. It is expected thet Eric Fehr will replace him for Thursday's game in Pittsburgh.
• In his first action of the season Boyd Gordon recorded an assist. Mike Green, Tomas Fleischmann, Chris Clark, Sergei Fedorov, and Brooks Laich also recorded assists.
• Michael Nylander, in addition to his penalty shot goal, had two assists for a 3-point night.

Official Recap
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